Understanding Working Hours and Leave Policy in UAE Labour Law

Managing human resources efficiently is a top priority for businesses across the UAE. Whether you’re a recruiter aiming to enhance candidate engagement or a business owner scaling your team, understanding the foundations of employment, such as working hours in UAE, is crucial. The UAE Labour Law offers clear guidelines that influence how companies can operate within the boundaries of compliance while fostering a healthy work environment.

In this blog, we’ll dive deep into the standard, flexible, and overtime working hours in UAE, along with leave policies that every employer and employee should know. This insight will empower recruitment professionals, HR teams, and business owners to refine hiring strategies and create productive workplaces aligned with legal mandates.

Let’s start by understanding the legal framework for standard working hours in the UAE and why it matters for businesses and employees alike.

What Are the Standard Working Hours in the UAE?

Understanding the legal framework for working hours in UAE is essential for businesses to remain compliant and foster productivity. The UAE Labour Law, specifically Article 17 of the Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, outlines clear guidelines on the standard working hours for employees in the private sector. Read on for a detailed breakdown of the topic.

Daily and Weekly Working Hours

• The standard working hours in the UAE are capped at 8 hours per day or 48 hours per week.
• During Ramadan, working hours are reduced by 2 hours daily, ensuring a more manageable schedule for employees observing the holy month.
• Work schedules can vary depending on the industry, but employers must ensure they align with the legal maximum hours.

Exceptions for Specific Industries

Some industries, such as construction and hospitality, may adopt different working schedules due to operational needs. In such cases:

• Employers must compensate workers for any hours exceeding the standard daily or weekly limit.
• Exceptions must comply with UAE Labour Law provisions to avoid penalties.

Work Hours for Juveniles

The law places additional restrictions on employees under 18:

• Juveniles cannot work more than 6 hours per day and must receive a one-hour break.
• They are also prohibited from working between 7 PM and 7 AM.

By adhering to these regulations, businesses can protect employees’ rights and create a balanced work environment while meeting legal requirements.

For employees seeking work-life balance, flexible and part-time arrangements in the UAE offer tailored solutions that still comply with labour laws.

Flexible and Part-Time Working Hours in UAE

The UAE Labour Law recognizes the changing dynamics of work and provides provisions for flexible and part-time employment arrangements. These options cater to employees seeking better work-life balance and businesses striving for agility. Discover all the key insights as we break it down below.

What Are Flexible Working Hours?

Flexible working hours allow employees to negotiate their start and end times while adhering to the agreed-upon daily or weekly working hours. This approach is particularly beneficial for:

• Parents juggling professional and personal responsibilities.
• Employees pursuing higher education alongside their jobs.

Employers offering flexible working hours can attract top talent while improving employee satisfaction and retention.

Part-Time Work Provisions in UAE

Under UAE Labour Law, part-time work arrangements are clearly defined:

• Part-time employees work fewer hours than the standard 8-hour workday or 48-hour workweek.
• They are entitled to proportional pay and benefits, such as annual leave and public holiday compensation, based on the number of hours worked.
• Employers must provide official contracts outlining the terms of part-time employment.

Eligibility for Flexible and Part-Time Work

• These arrangements are open to UAE nationals and expatriates holding valid work permits.
• Employees may request flexible or part-time schedules, but approval is at the employer’s discretion.

Benefits of Flexible and Part-Time Schedules

For businesses:

• Enhanced productivity through happier, more engaged employees.
• Cost savings when managing seasonal or project-based workloads.

For employees:

• Greater autonomy over their schedules.
• Opportunities to pursue personal or professional growth outside traditional working hours.

With flexibility becoming a key factor in workplace satisfaction, businesses adopting these models gain a competitive edge while complying with working hours in UAE regulations.

When work stretches beyond standard hours, knowing the rules for overtime pay ensures fairness for both employers and employees.

Overtime Rules and Regulations in UAE

Overtime pay and regulations are an integral part of working hours in UAE, ensuring that employees are fairly compensated for their additional efforts. UAE Labour Law sets clear guidelines for employers when assigning overtime to protect workers' rights. Continue reading to explore this subject in detail.

When Is Overtime Applicable?

Overtime applies when employees work beyond the standard 8 hours per day or 48 hours per week. However, the law allows flexibility for specific scenarios, such as:

• Extended working hours due to operational demands.
• Projects requiring additional time to meet deadlines.

How Is Overtime Pay Calculated?

Employees are entitled to additional compensation for overtime hours, calculated as follows:

• Extra Work on Regular Days: Overtime pay must include the standard wage plus an additional 25%.
• Overtime Between 10 PM and 4 AM: Compensation rises to the standard wage plus an additional 50%.
• Overtime on Public Holidays or Rest Days: Employees are entitled to standard pay, plus a compensatory day off or an additional 50% of their wage.

Maximum Overtime Hours

To protect employee well-being, UAE Labour Law places limits on overtime:

• Employees cannot work more than 2 hours of overtime per day unless exceptional circumstances apply.
• Employers must ensure overtime does not exceed this threshold without prior approval.

Exemptions from Overtime Rules

Certain categories of employees, such as managerial and supervisory roles, may be exempt from overtime compensation. Employers should clearly state these exemptions in employment contracts.

Employer Responsibilities:

• Maintain records of overtime hours worked by employees.
• Obtain employee consent for overtime assignments, ensuring transparency and compliance.
• Avoid excessive overtime that could lead to legal penalties or employee burnout.

Understanding these overtime rules helps businesses comply with UAE Labour Law while fostering trust and transparency with their workforce.

While long hours can be necessary, public holidays and rest days are equally vital for recharging and maintaining productivity.

Public Holidays and Weekly Rest Days in UAE

Public holidays and weekly rest days are vital aspects of working hours in UAE, ensuring employees have ample time to rest and recharge. The UAE Labour Law defines specific holidays and rest days provisions to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Learn more as we go deeper into the details below.

Public Holidays in UAE

Employees in the private sector are entitled to paid public holidays as per the UAE Labour Law. These include:

• New Year’s Day: January 1
• Eid Al Fitr: Two days
• Arafat Day and Eid Al Adha: Four days
• Hijri New Year: One day
• Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday: One day
• Commemoration Day: December 1
• National Day: December 2 and 3

Employers must provide paid leave for these holidays. If employees are required to work on public holidays due to business needs, they are entitled to:

• An additional day off in lieu of the holiday.
• Overtime pay is equivalent to the standard wage plus 50%.

Weekly Rest Days

Under UAE Labour Law, employees are entitled to at least one rest day per week. Most private sector businesses observe Friday or Saturday as the designated day off. Key points include:

• Rest days are paid, and employers cannot deduct wages for the weekly day off.
• Employers must compensate employees working on their rest day with an additional day off or overtime pay.

Exceptions and Flexibility

• Part-time and shift-based workers may have varied schedules for rest days.
• Employers must ensure compliance with UAE Labour Law even in flexible arrangements.

Benefits of Observing Rest Days and Holidays

• Improved employee productivity and morale.
• Reduced risk of burnout and workplace fatigue.
• Enhanced workplace satisfaction and retention rates.

By adhering to these rules on public holidays and weekly rest days, businesses can align with UAE Labour Law requirements while fostering a supportive work environment.

Beyond holidays and weekends, understanding leave entitlements helps ensure employees have the time they need for personal and family priorities.

Leave Entitlements Under UAE Labour Law

The UAE Labour Law outlines comprehensive leave entitlements to ensure employee well-being and productivity. Employers must adhere to these regulations to provide a supportive work environment and remain compliant with working hours in UAE and leave policies. 

1. Annual Leave

Annual leave is a fundamental right for employees in the UAE. Here’s what the law mandates:

• Employees are entitled to 30 calendar days of annual leave after completing one year of service.
• For employees with less than a year of service, annual leave is calculated pro-rata, typically 2 days per month.
• Unused leave can be carried forward to the following year, subject to employer approval.

Employers are required to pay employees their full wage during annual leave, ensuring uninterrupted financial stability.

2. Sick Leave

Sick leave provisions in the UAE are designed to protect employees during illness:

• Employees are eligible for up to 90 days of sick leave per year, divided as follows:
  • First 15 days: Full pay.
  • Next 30 days: Half pay.
  • Remaining 45 days: Unpaid leave.
• Employees must provide a medical certificate from an authorized healthcare provider to claim sick leave in UAE.

Employers cannot terminate an employee during their sick leave unless the absence exceeds 90 days and is not followed by a return to work.

3. Maternity and Paternity Leave

The UAE Labour Law has introduced progressive maternity and paternity leave policies:

• Female employees are entitled to 60 calendar days of maternity leave, divided into:
  • 45 days at full pay.
  • 15 days at half pay.
• Paternity leave for male employees is 5 days, which can be taken within 6 months of the child’s birth.

These policies aim to support working parents and promote family-friendly workplace practices.

4. Other Types of Leave

In addition to annual, sick, and parental leave, employees in the UAE may be entitled to:

• Hajj Leave: 30 days of unpaid leave for pilgrimage.
• Study Leave: This is for employees pursuing higher education, with employer approval.
• Compassionate Leave: As specified in employment contracts, for bereavement or family emergencies.

Employers must outline these entitlements clearly in employee contracts to avoid disputes and ensure transparency.

Meeting compliance isn’t just about ticking boxes—it’s about fostering trust and smooth operations within the bounds of UAE Labour Law.

How Employers and Employees Can Ensure Compliance?

Compliance with working hours in UAE and leave policies is crucial for maintaining a fair and efficient workplace. Both employers and employees share responsibilities to ensure adherence to UAE Labour Law and avoid penalties or disputes. Keep reading to uncover a comprehensive explanation.

For Employers: Best Practices for Compliance

• Maintain Accurate Records:Employers must document employees’ working hours, overtime, and leave balances to demonstrate compliance during inspections. Digital tools, such as attendance management systems, simplify this process.
• Provide Clear Employment Contracts:

Contracts should explicitly outline the following:

• Standard and overtime working hours in UAE.
• Leave entitlements, including annual, sick, and maternity leave.
• Terms for flexible or part-time work, if applicable.
• Implement HR Technology Solutions:Advanced tools, like AI-driven HR software, help monitor attendance, automate payroll calculations for overtime, and streamline leave approvals while ensuring legal compliance.
• Educate Managers and HR Teams:Conduct regular training sessions to ensure management understands updates to UAE Labour Law and how they apply to daily operations.
• Respect Employee Rights:Foster a transparent culture where employees feel comfortable reporting non-compliance without fear of retaliation.

For Employees: How to Stay Informed and Protected

• Know Your Rights
  Familiarize yourself with UAE Labour Law provisions, including:
• Standard and flexible working hours in UAE.
• Overtime pay entitlements.
• Leave policies and the process for requesting time off.
• Keep Personal Records
  Track your own working hours, overtime, and leave to cross-check employer records and raise any discrepancies promptly.
• Communicate Effectively
  Approach your employer with questions or concerns regarding compliance. Open dialogue can help address potential issues early.
• Seek Legal Assistance If Necessary
  If disputes arise, employees can approach the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) for support and mediation.

Consequences of Non-Compliance

Non-compliance with UAE Labour Law can lead to:

• Fines and penalties for employers.
• Loss of employee trust and potential legal disputes.

By adopting transparent processes and respecting employee rights, businesses can stay aligned with UAE Labour Law on working hours and leave entitlements. Compliance not only avoids legal challenges but also fosters a positive and productive workplace environment.

UAE Labour Law reforms keep pace with modern workforce needs, offering flexibility and protection for businesses and employees alike.

Recent Reforms and Changes in UAE Labour Law

UAE Labour Law has undergone significant reforms in recent years to align with global best practices and adapt to a dynamic workforce. These updates impact working hours in UAE, leave policies, and flexible work arrangements, ensuring employee rights are upheld while supporting business growth. We’ll break it down step-by-step in the paragraphs ahead.

Key Reforms Impacting Working Hours

• Introduction of Flexible Work ModelsRecent amendments encourage businesses to adopt flexible and part-time work models. Employees can now negotiate customized schedules, promoting work-life balance while maintaining compliance with the legal limit of 48 hours per week.
• Enhanced Overtime RegulationsUpdates to the law emphasize fair compensation for overtime work:
• Overtime pay for late-night shifts (10 PM–4 AM) has been increased to incentivize fair practices.
• Stricter monitoring ensures employers adhere to the 2-hour daily overtime cap.

Expanded Leave Policies

• Parental Leave: A landmark reform introduced 5 days of paid paternity leave for fathers, allowing both parents to contribute to early childcare. This addition reflects the UAE’s commitment to fostering family-friendly workplaces.
• Study Leave: Employees pursuing higher education are now entitled to study leave under specific conditions, enabling them to balance career growth with academic goals.
• Compassionate Leave Updates: Reforms have clarified bereavement leave entitlements, specifying durations based on the employee’s relationship to the deceased.

Focus on Workplace Equality

• Equal Pay for Equal Work: New provisions emphasize equal pay regardless of gender, ensuring fair compensation across all industries.
• Anti-Discrimination Policies: Employers are required to implement policies that prevent workplace discrimination based on race, nationality, religion, or gender.

Digitalization and Technology Integration

• MOHRE Digital Platforms: Employers are encouraged to use digital portals provided by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) to streamline compliance. These tools allow for efficient documentation of working hours in UAE and leave tracking.
• AI for Recruitment and Workforce Management: Businesses are adopting AI-driven HR solutions to automate compliance processes, ensuring adherence to the latest reforms while enhancing operational efficiency.

Why These Reforms Matter?

• For Employees: Improved workplace protections, fairer compensation, and enhanced leave options create a more supportive environment.
• For Employers: Clarity in labour laws reduces the risk of non-compliance, fostering better employee relations and trust.

By staying updated on these reforms, businesses can remain competitive while ensuring they align with the evolving UAE Labour Law on working hours and employee benefits.

To meet these evolving demands, TidyHire provides businesses with smart, automated tools to streamline recruitment and ensure compliance effortlessly.

How TidyHire Transforms Recruitment in the UAE

Recruitment professionals in the UAE face unique challenges in managing working hours in UAE compliance, streamlining recruitment workflows, and scaling their hiring processes. This is where TidyHire, an AI-driven recruitment platform, makes a transformative impact. Designed for businesses of all sizes, TidyHire automates time-consuming tasks, enhances candidate engagement, and delivers actionable insights to optimize hiring strategies. 

Here’s how it works:

1. Effortless Candidate Sourcing with Recruiting Intelligence Agent (RIA)

Finding qualified candidates quickly is critical for businesses looking to stay competitive in the UAE’s fast-paced job market. TidyHire’s Recruiting Intelligence Agent (RIA) simplifies this process by:

• Providing access to a talent pool of over 700 million profiles from 30+ sources.
• Automating candidate discovery and retrieving verified contact information, such as email addresses and phone numbers.
• Integrating directly with existing workflows, ensuring that recruiters can source candidates without disrupting their processes.

Whether you’re a recruitment agency or a growing e-commerce business, TidyHire’s RIA makes it effortless to identify and connect with the best talent.

2. Personalized Outreach Powered by Generative AI

Candidate engagement is key to successful hiring, and TidyHire excels with its hyper-personalized communication tools:

• Automate messages and follow-ups across multiple channels, including LinkedIn, email, SMS, and WhatsApp.
• Use generative AI to craft tailored messages that resonate with candidates, improving response rates.
• Schedule and manage communication sequences to ensure timely, consistent outreach.

By automating outreach while maintaining a personal touch, TidyHire allows recruiters to focus on building meaningful relationships with top candidates.

3. Seamless Integration and Streamlined Workflows

TidyHire integrates effortlessly with tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and ATS systems, ensuring smooth collaboration within recruitment teams. Features like the TidyHire Chrome Extension further simplify sourcing:

• Recruit candidates directly from professional networking platforms.
• Capture contact details and integrate them seamlessly into your recruitment pipeline.
• Eliminate manual tasks, freeing up valuable time for strategic decision-making.

This streamlined approach not only boosts productivity but also enhances the overall hiring experience for both recruiters and candidates.

4. Data-Driven Recruitment Insights

To stay competitive in the UAE’s evolving labour market, recruitment professionals need actionable insights. TidyHire provides:

• Real-time analytics and daily reports on recruitment campaign performance and candidate engagement.
• Detailed data on outreach effectiveness, allowing for continuous optimization.
• Insights into candidate behavior to improve future hiring strategies.

With these analytics, recruiters can make informed decisions to reduce time-to-hire, improve candidate quality, and optimize their recruitment pipelines.

5. Scalable Solutions for Businesses of All Sizes

Whether you're an SME or a large enterprise managing high-volume recruitment, TidyHire scales with your needs:

• Xceptional Recruiters: Collaborate with elite hiring experts who manage sourcing and nurturing, ensuring culture-aligned hiring while you focus on growth.
• Customizable Sequences and Templates: Create recruitment campaigns tailored to your business goals and automate repetitive communication tasks.

For businesses experiencing rapid growth, TidyHire ensures hiring efficiency without compromising candidate quality.

6. Enhanced Candidate Experience Through AI

A great candidate experience is essential to retaining top talent, and TidyHire delivers by:

• Automating repetitive tasks, allowing recruiters to focus on building stronger relationships.
• Offering responsive, AI-driven communication that keeps candidates engaged and informed throughout the hiring process.
• Providing a seamless, transparent application process that enhances candidate satisfaction.

Conclusion

Understanding working hours in UAE and leave policies isn’t just about ticking legal boxes—it’s about building a workplace where both employees and employers thrive. Whether it’s adhering to standard working hours, managing leave entitlements, or ensuring fair overtime practices, staying compliant with UAE Labour Law helps create a balanced and productive work environment.

For businesses striving to manage recruitment effectively while juggling these responsibilities, TidyHire is here to help. From sourcing top talent across 700 million profiles to automating follow-ups and streamlining communication, TidyHire simplifies the hiring process so you can focus on what really matters—finding the right people for your team.

Ready to elevate your hiring game and save hours of manual work? Book a Demo Tour today and see how TidyHire can make recruitment faster, smarter, and more effective for your business.